


Consequences

by Senji



Category: Alliance-Union - C. J. Cherryh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-12-19
Updated: 2006-12-19
Packaged: 2018-01-25 02:35:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1627004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Senji/pseuds/Senji
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Thanks to my betas; hossgal, Shannon, and Beth Ann; without whom this would have been a lot worse.  Any defects remaining are, of course, entirely my fault.<br/>Written for Few</p>
    </blockquote>





	Consequences

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to my betas; hossgal, Shannon, and Beth Ann; without whom this would have been a lot worse. Any defects remaining are, of course, entirely my fault.  
> Written for Few

 

 

* * *

SECURITY ARCHIVES: CLASSIFIED CLASS AA

DO NOT COPY

CONTENT: Computer Generated Transcript File #10320 Seq. #1

(Extract)

Emory II/Jordan Warrick

* * *

AE2: Thank you for coming to see me, Doctor Warrick. Please sit down. Would you like a drink?

JW1: No, thank you. And I prefer to stand. I assume this won't be a long discussion?

AE2: I hope not; I expect that you're quite busy at the moment. Florian, Catlin, I should be safe with Jordan. I believe you had business with House Security?

A door opens and shuts again.

AE2: I'm quite certain that you didn't kill my predecessor, and I'll be happy to release supporting evidence. Having my support might not be in your best interests, of course.

JW1: I think you might be right. You do know I'll be filing against Lynch?

AE2: I'd hoped you'd say that: I don't trust Lynch any more, too much of Science has been influenced by the Nyes and, whilst we probably disagree, I don't think you'll piss away what's left of Reseune in support of some personal or political point.

JW1: Dammit, you are Ari back again.

AE2: Not quite, but I hope I fulfil her potential -- we'll need it when some of the time-bombs she foresaw come to pass. I can't promise that Science won't get a lot of trouble thrown its way during your time on the Council.

JW1: You can hardly say that I'm a stranger to trouble.

AE2: Whether you get the seat or not though, there is one favour I'd like to ask of you, one which I don't think you're likely to argue with...

* * *

Chapter 1

* * *

The news anchor moved to a piece about conditions in Novgorod. Ari waited while Florian and Catlin placed bets on when the storm would arrive.

Catlin won, and Florian answered the door to a puffing Justin, who pushed into the apartment without even noticing him and strode across the floor towards Ari. Grant trailed in behind, apologising for Justin's attitude.

"Is this another of your ploys?"

"The riots in Novgorod? No, although I think Novgorod will be a good place to station more of the unreliable parts of Security."

Justin sank resignedly into an armchair, and for a moment allowed tiredness to show on his face.

"Please don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. Didn't you think to even ask before pushing me into the limelight again?"

"Oh, you mean Jordan's proposal?"

"Quite. And I don't think he'd even have suggested it if he thought you'd oppose it, and if it was his idea he'd have asked me first."

"It's something that should have been done years ago, but it will look better coming from your father than myself and we won't have to explain why Reseune hadn't proposed it before."

"I don't want it. And I particularly don't want to have to go to Novgorod to argue I should have something I don't deserve."

Grant started forward to join the conversation, but was stopped by a look from Florian. Ari leaned forward and looked Justin in the eye.

"Jordan and I both think you do deserve it. I think our testimonies should be sufficient. And I think that even if you don't want it, you might need it in a few years."

"How could I possibly need it? Reseune supplies all my needs, and having it hasn't really helped my father all these years."

"We need you secure. Apart from myself you're the only person with the first idea about Gehenna, and I think this is just the beginning of the firestorm."

Justin stood, shocked, as Grant intervened. "She's right, you know. You might not be Jordan Warrick again, but you can see correspondences and consequences to an extent that none of the rest of us can."

Ari smiled. She hadn't been sure that Grant would intervene, but it simplified things.

"Now, Justin, would you like to stay for breakfast? I'm going to be releasing the Gehenna data to you, and I'd like to discuss areas of investigation."

* * *

Excerpt from NOVGOROD TODAY, line items:

* * *

Dr Justin Warrick was granted Special status by a Science Bureau team at 15:30 yesterday.

* * *

Chapter Two

* * *

The party was somewhat subdued. Ari's young coterie were still feeling its way into its new roles, and their elders had been greatly shaken up by the events surrounding the deaths of the Nye brothers. And everyone, including the Warricks, was following the vid with a sense of dread as the Science election results trickled in. Early results had favoured Jordan, but the stations had put a heavy dent in his margin.

Jordan refilled his glass and walked over to where his son was sitting with Grant. At least tonight the music wasn't too loud for conversation.

"I'm sorry, son, I didn't mean to overshadow your celebration like this."

"I don't think this party was ever going to be a success, but Ari insisted."

"I think I can see why. She's trying to pull us back into a community. I think she'll probably succeed, although it'll take a bit of work."

"I'd rather, just once, that she took control of someone else's life whilst she's doing it."

"From what I hear she's been doing that a lot. Just like her predecessor. Yanni will make a good Administrator, and I'll be glad to be back in charge of Education whichever way the vote goes. Are you sure you don't want a transfer back to my wing?"

"It's a tempting offer..."

"Stop joking," Grant interrupted. "What Ari's just given us is far too interesting."

"He's right, of course," Justin said with a wry smile. "Are those the Fargone results?"

The entire party stopped, waiting to see how the results affected things, the more sober attempting to figure it out for themselves. Grant got there first.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Dr Jordan Warrick, Councillor for Science!"

* * *

ARCHIVES: GEHENNA PROJECT: CLASSIFIED CLASS AA+

DO NOT COPY

CONTENT: Computer Transcript File #6456

(Extract)

Emory II/Justin Warrick

* * *

From: Justin Warrick  
To: Ariane Emory  
Cc: Grant ALX  
Date: 2424 11/12

Ari,

This data from the Alliance sociologists is useless, they're asking all the wrong questions. Is there anything else?

Justin.

From: Ariane Emory  
To: Justin Warrick  
Cc: Grant ALX  
Date: 2424 11/13

Justin,

That's all I've got; I'll ask the Bureau of State to see if they can get anything else. If you can get me a report on what you want by the end of the day then I'll include it.

Ari.

From: Ariane Emory  
To: Justin Warrick  
Cc: Grant ALX  
Date: 2424 11/20

Justin,

State is sending that request to Alliance.

Ari.

From: Ariane Emory  
To: Justin Warrick  
Cc: Grant ALX  
Date: 2425 5/1

Justin,

Cyteen Station forwarded us a message from the Alliance presence on Gehenna. Can you come up to my office after lunch to discuss it?

Ari.

* * *

Chapter Three

* * *

Ari sat down in Justin and Grant's office and waved away the offer of coffee.

"They want us to send someone who knows about Azi psychology to Gehenna. It seems they looked at your report and realised quite how much of a mess they're in."

"That's good. Who are you planning on sending?"

"There are only us five cleared on the Gehenna project. Military sure as hell won't want me on one of their ships. Are you willing to go?"

Justin grimaced slightly.

"I... I'll have to think about it."

"Do. I'll need an answer by the end of the week. Meanwhile, I'm putting you in charge of organising transport. Get Amy to organise details on what and who you'll need in support."

* * *

"No entries since the last use of this key."

The Minder's familiar phrase soothed Justin slightly, but waited until the door closed behind Grant before asking "what do you think about Ari's proposal?"

"I think you should go for it. You said it yourself, the Alliance psychologists just don't have the right training for the job, and it's going to be hard for anyone we send to ask the right questions without being cleared on the whole thing."

"I've never been beyond Planys before. Except Novgorod, and you know how much of a disaster that was."

"It'll be an experience. You're having too much flux thinking again; there's only one logical answer."

"You're right. Who do we think we should take with us?"

"I think Ari wants you to take Amy Carnath, and her Quentin will satisfy the Security requirements."

Justin stopped, having not seen Ari slip that into the conversation earlier.

"Now who's flux-thinking!"

* * *

Ari gazed briefly into th bottom of her, now empty, morning mug of coffee, then looked Justin in the eyes.

"Yes, I guess I can do without Amy. And she could do with being out of these walls."

"Now we've just got to get the Military sorted out."

"Do you see them being a problem?"

"I don't know, I've just got a gut-feeling that they won't like it."

* * *

ARCHIVES: GEHENNA PROJECT: CLASSIFIED CLASS AA+

DO NOT COPY

CONTENT: Computer Transcript File #6456

(Extract)

Emory II/Justin Warrick

* * *

From: Justin Warrick  
To: Ariane Emory  
Cc: Grant ALX  
Date: 2425 6/4

Ari,

The Military are definitely giving us the run-around here. Whenever I think we've agreed on a ship some new problem comes up. Is there anything you can do?

Justin.

From: Ariane Emory  
To: Justin Warrick  
Cc: Grant ALX  
Date: 2424 6/5

Justin,

Give me a few days, and perhaps my backup plan will rescue the situation.

Ari.

From: Ariane Emory  
To: Justin Warrick  
Cc: Grant ALX  
Date: 2424 6/9

Justin,

Success! I, or rather Reseune, have just purchased a ship. It's too small to survive in the current conditions, but it will work well for Reseune priority shipments once you've returned.

I'm securing a crew for you, through Florian and Catlin, and suggest that you take advantage of the extra space to take a small lab with you.

Ari.

* * *

Chapter Four

* * *

Stationmaster Kallin rushed into Gehenna Control, his comlink still bleeping plaintively. The attention of the technicians was solidly fixed on the system status screen and the voice on the speakers which had started even as he was in the corridors.

"...Bok Two. Weapons stations are locked down in compliance with Alliance Law. Second Dump in ... mark ... four minutes, third dump will follow once we have your navigational messages. We have a Special on board, ask Finity for details...."

Kallin waved at Emilia, his comm-one, who started talking quietly into her mike "Control to Finity..." as the voice-over continued...

"...Repeat. This is Reseune Ship Bok Two, carrying Justin Warrick and  
a team of scientists under diplomatic passports. Finity escorts  
us in Alliance space. We request clear vacuum on both sides of our  
docking space, and ask permission to extend Reseune Security to cover  
our Dockside. Message Ends."

Emilia broke the stunned silence. "Stationmaster. Finity confirms their status and asks that we cooperate with their requests. These are the 'specialists' we've been asking for..."

Kallin allowed himself a smile.

"Control to Bok Two. Gehenna welcomes you. Does White Seven satisfy your requirements? Finity is on approach to Five, Six and Eight are clear. Navigational details and a station map follow..."

 

 

 


End file.
